Leaf stemmer



April-23, 1935. J. GOUGH 1,998,894

LEAF -STEMMER Fled- Oct. 29, 1932 Patented Apr. 23, 1935 I f UNITED STATES LEAF STER/[DIER Joseph Gough, Newark, N. J., assignor to Goughk Stemming Machine Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 29, 1932, Serial No. 640,141

16 Claims.

bacco leaves for example.

Herein the word stem is employed as including so much of the long central veinor rib of a leaf as is removed from the blade in the stemming operation.

A strip (or strips) of card clothing is a desirable device to strip the leaf blades from the stems. A considerable amount of power is required to drive the card clothing however, especially Where the stemming machine is of the continuously acting type wherein the leaves are stemmed while in movement through the machine; in machines of the latter type the card clothing is called on to propel the leaves through the stemming station against a considerable opposing force. In order to drive the card clothing it has been the practice heretofore to attach the strip of card clothing to one edge of a wide belt, the width of this carrying belt and the corresponding width of the face of the driving pulley enabling the latter to drive the belt, and hence the card clothing, without undue slipping. This practice is not lentirely satisfactory however. Considerable time is required to replace a worn or damaged card clothing mounted in this manner. Further, with use the card clothing tends to depart from its intended path or position at the stemming station. This seems to be due principally to the fact that the wide carrying belt stretches unevenly, so that the edge of the wide belt takes a wavy shape as viewed looking straight toward the faces of the wide belt and the card clothing; in part too the fault may be due to the fact that the stressestendto stretch the card clothing more thanits carryingbelt in passing around the pulleys, and thus tend to cause the card clothing to buckle in the straight runs of the belt and card clothing. Still further, devices working close beside the teeth of the card clothing are used to remove the blades caught in the teeth; commonly for this purpose a wire or the like is laid in a space provided for it in the midst of the teeth of the clothing. The departure of the card clothing from its initial position or path interferes with the functioning of this wire or other device employed to remove the blades from the card clothing, and may bring this device against the card clothing teeth in such a Way as to bend the teeth.

My invention avoids these faults and provides a blade-stripper of the card-clothing type that remains permanently in its initial and intended (c1. rs1-57) path or position, and permanently in the desired relation to the devices with which it cooperates, and provides an arrangement wherein worn portions of the stripper, large Vor small, can be repaired quickly, easily and cheaply. This is accomplished, in brief, by the transverse division of the card clothing or analogous toothed stripping element into a number of separate sections or pieces, and the fastening of these sections individually to individualpoints on the carrying device between which the major part or the whole of the flexure of the carrying device occurs as the latter passes around a pulley or other supportand preferably by using also such a narrow supporting and driving belt or other carrying device for the sectionalized card clothingthat any stretch or wear tending to lengthen the carrying device as it were, occurs substantially uniformly throughout its width; for example, the width of rthis carrying belt or other device may approximate the width of the card clothing. Preferably a chain belt is employed as the driving and carrying device, and each piece or section of the card clothing or other toothed element is mounted on a single link of the chain; a chain and toothed driving pulley for the chainwill give adequate power to drive the card clothing. A rigid surface or rigid surfacesrwill give al1 the support against bending at the stemming station that card clothing or like iieXible-backed toothed strippers may need; preferably one such rigid surface is provided for each toothed stripping section, these being mounted on or constituting parts of the carrying device and bearing the sections of the toothed element; but rather than employ links of the chain or other elements of the carrying device for this purpose` however, I prefer to employ members additional to the chain proper to support the toothed stripping sections against forced bending, these members being attached individually to the carrying device. By mounting the individual sections of the toothed stripping element on the carrying device in a manner permitting ready removal, any individual section that may fail or become wornis readily replaced. By locating underneath `the table top, leaf feeder, or the like, any pulley or other support around which such a chain of toothed stripping sections may pass between the stemming station and the entrance end of the machine, the leaves may be fed to the stripper at a point thereon where the sections occupysubstantially the same relative positions to each other that they occupy at the stemming station, and thus the stripper prevented from grasping the leaves between adjacent sections of it.

These and other matters concerned with the invention appear from the stemming machine illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine at the stemming station; Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, drawn to a larger scale, is an elevation of the stripper chain of the machine of Fig. l; Fig 4 is a vertical section Von the line IV I'\7 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a plan View of one section of the card clothing of Figs. l and 3, and adjacent parts of the chain.

rlhe machine illustrated is of a known type, and substantially only so much of it is shown as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. The horizontal table top I is to receive the leaves at the left hand end and generally support them as they travel through the machine. The mechanism or device for grasping the stems also pulls the stems from the blades while the latter are retained by the blade stripper. Essentially it consists of a pair of cooperating belts 2 and '3 carried respectively by rollers 4 and 5 and another pair of rollers not shown, but as will be understood from the drawing. -These belts 2 and 3 receive the butt ends of the stems between themselves and are driven in such a direction that they pull the stem away from the blade stripper (upwardly in Fig. 2). It will be understood of course that my invention is not limited to the particular device 2 3 here employed to grasp the stems, nor to the particular arrangement of the stem-grasper and blade-stripper whereby the stem and blade are pulled apart from each other.

The blade stripper comprises a sprocket chain belt (Fig. l) and a plurality of sections 6 of card clothing (one section being illustrated in Fig. 5), each mounted on one of the blocks 'I oi the chain as shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The links connecting the blocks appear at 8. The chain may be mounted on two toothed or sprocket wheels 20 and 2| carried by the machine frame; one of these, say the sprocket 2 I, may be power driven to propel the'stripper in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig, 1. Flex-1 ure of the chain in passing around the supports 25 and 2 I occurs at the pivots between the blocks 'l' and links 8 of course. Hence by dividing the card clothing into sections 6 and fastening each to only one block or link of the chain, all tendency to stretch the card clothing inV passing around the belt supports 2D and 2| has been eliminated. To mount the sections 6 on the blocks of the chain, I prefer to secure themto carriers I2 separate from and secured to the chain. These carriers may be made as illustrated in the drawing. Primarily each carrier I2 provides a flat or plane base against which the flexible fabric of the card clothing lies (Fig. 4). To mount the sections on the carriers, each may be recesse to form a box as illustrated best in Fig. 4; the recess is provided with an overhanging lip I3 along one side, and a second overhanging lip I4 along the other side, these lips serving to retain the card clothing 6 in the carrier. Preferably one of these lips is removable from the box or carrier; for example, the lip I4 may consist of a rela tively thin flat bar fastened to the box side by a machine screw or screws I5; this permits a new piece or section 6 to be-substituted quickly for a worn one. Obviously the boxes i2 may be attached to the chain in various ways; conveniently eachis attached to a single block 'I by a single screw I E in co-operation with a projection or projections, for example a lip I'I on the box, extending over the outside face of the adjacent chain links 8; the screw I6 holds each box to its chain block While the projection or projections II prevent the box from turning on the single screw. Preferably the chain is a double chain, that is to say, s made up of pairs of blocks 'I arranged side by side, and the toothed wheels or sprockets 20 and 2| are provided with two rows of cooperating teeth; this, however, is simply to drive the Y chain with sufcient power, and obviously is subject to modification. Underneath the chain at the stemming station a rigid surface may be provided by the table top I or otherwise to prevent the chain flexing undesirably under the stresses imposed on the card clothing by the leaves.

A plate 23 in effect extends the table top I over the pulley or sprocket 20 which is between the stemming station and the entrance end of the machine, so that the leaves first reach the sectionalized card clothing at a point 24 where the card clothing sections constitute a continuous strip or strips of card clothing; this prevents leaves entering between adjacent sections of the card clothing while the latter are separated as they are (say at 25) where they pass around a pulley or sprocket. The Wire 2S, fastened to the table toward the entrance end of the machine (Figs. 1 and 2) and resting in a longitudinal space provided between the teeth of the card clothing (Figs. 4 and 5) provides for separating from the sectionalized card clothing any stemmed blades that may be caught in the teeth; thus as the card clothing passes 'downwardly around the pulley or sprocket 2| this wire 26 holds the blades up While the card clothing passes away from them; these blades then fall from the wire. Obviously other or additional devices may be employed to separate the blades from the lower card clothing; the wire 26 is illustrative of any device for this purpose, as well as illustrative of a device preferably employed. Preferably I use a second belt 29 of card clothing to conne the leaves in the lower or sectionalized card clothing belt at the stemming station. Anything that will serve this purpose may be substituted for this second card clothing belt 29 however.

The stern puller 2 3 in the machine illustrated is so located (its bite being somewhat below the level of the tops of the teeth of the sectionalized card clothing in the upper run of the latter), that the lower card clothing serves as the blade stripper substantially alone; that is to say, the stems are drawn somewhat downwardly and thus between the teeth of this sectionalized card clothing. Under theseV circumstances, little power is required to drive a second cardy clothing belt, such as 29; ordinarily its teeth slightly engage between the teeth of the lower card clothing belt, and in instances I have dispensed entirely with separate driving means for such an upper belt, allowing it to be driven simply by its frictional engagement with the lower card clothing. Under these circumstances it is not necessary to divide this upper card clothing 29 into sections like the lower card clothing; in other words, this upper card clothing belt 29 may be simply a continuous strip of card clothing carried on loose-running pulleys 33 for example.

To partially support the blades, especially as Vthey approach the stemming station (opposite the stem puller 2 3), and thus to help to carry the leaves into the stemming station, I usually employ one or more belts 3| running parallel in the samey direction and at 'about the same levelV as the sectionalized card clothing. These may be smooth surfaced belts. Such a belt (or belts)v is .driven of course, at the-same speed as the sectionalized card clothing; Vit or they may be mounted ona loose running pulley 32 for example, and on a driven pulley 33I which, for convenience, may be mounted on and Vfast to the shaft 34`which carries and by means Vof which the pulley.l or sprocket 2| of thesectionalized card clothing is driven. K y

The operationofthe machine illustrated will be rather apparent: The operator feeds the leaves, more or less Yone by one, onto the sectionalized card clothing andthe auxiliary conveyor belt 3i about at 24; the leaves are fed with their blades lying on the auxiliary conveyor belt 3l, and with their butts'exterrding somewhat to the opposite side of the sectionalized card clothing so as to be within the reach of the stem-graspingmechanism, e. g. the pair of belts 2 and 3, as they approach the latter. The card clothing belts and the auxiliary conveyor belt 3| being driven, say, continuously, the leaves are conveyed in this position until the butts enter the bite between the belts 2 and 3; these thereupon pull the stems to the rear of the machine (upwardly in Fig. 2), but since the blades cannot follow through the teeth of the card clothing, each blade is more or less bunched up against the card clothing, and particularly the lower card clothing. The stemmed blades continue with the card clothing belts therefore, to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, and as the lower card clothing belt passes downwardly around the pulley or sprocket 2 I, the stemmed blades fall to the oor, those strongly entangled with the lower card clothing being forced off it bytheir travel above the wire 26.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the details lof construction described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, except as appears hereinafter in the claims.

I claim: 1. In a stemming machine having means to Y grasp the stems, the combination of a plurality of sections of card clothing, a iiexible carrying device to carry said plurality of card clothing sections opposite said stem-grasping means, and means to fasten the sections of card clothing individually to individual points on said carrying ,device between which the carrying device can iiex.

2. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a plurality oi sections of card clothing, a flexible carrying device to carry said plurality of card clothing sections opposite said stern-grasping means, and means releasably fastening said sections of card clothing to said carrying device. 3. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a plurality of sections of card clothing, a flexible carrying device to carry said plurality of card clothing sections opposite said stem-grasping means, and means releasably fastening said sections of card clothing individually to individual points on said carrying device between which the carrying device can flex. f

4. In a stemming machine having means t grasp the stems, the combination of a bladestripping device divided into a plurality of sections each including a flexible base and teeth projecting from the base, a flexible carrying device for` saidsections, means to fasten the sections'individually to individual points on said carrying deviceV between which .the carrying device can flex, and means to support said flexible bases of said sections, throughout substantially the whole areak of each, opposite said stemgrasping means. i A

5. In a stemming machine having meansy to grasp vthe stems, the combination of a blade-stripping device khaving a flexible base and teeth projecting therefrom, saidfblade-stripping device being divided into a plurality of sections, and means to carry and support said sections including a flexible carrying device having rigid means, engageable with the-flexible bases of said sections throughout substantially the whole Vof the areaof each-and means to fasten said sections individually 'to individual rpoints on said .flexible carrying devicebetween .which the carrying device can fiex.

6. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a bladestrppingdevice including a flexible base and teeth projecting therefrom, said blade stripping device being divided into a plurality of sections, a flexible carrying device to carry said 1 plurality of sections, and a plurality of rigid sup- 8. The subject matter of claim 6 characterized by the fact that said flexible carrying device is a chain, and that each of said rigid supports comprises a box having means to releasably hold one of said sections in the box.

9. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a blade-stripping device having a base portion and spaced projecting teeth, substantially at right angles to said base portionto strip the blades from the stems means to work beside said teeth to remove blades from said teeth, said blade-stripping device being divided into sections, and a narrow flexible carrying device to carry said plurality of sections.

10. 'Ihe subject matter of claim 9 characterized by the fact that said means to remove blades from said teeth is a substantially rigid member alon which the said teeth pass. ,Y

11. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a chain belt, a plurality of sectionsof a blade-stripping device attached to and carried by said chain, each of said sections having teeth spaced from. each other and projecting substantially at right angles from the face of said belt to strip the blades from the stems, and means to work the midst of said teeth to remove blades from said teeth.

12. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a chain belt, means to drive said chain belt continuously, a plurality of sections of a blade Stripping device attached to and carried by said chain, each of said sections having teeth spaced from each other and projecting substantially at right angles from the face of said belt to strip the blades from the stems, and means to workV close beside said teeth to remove blades from said teeth.

13. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a blade-stripping device dividedinto a plurality of sections,

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a-belt, means to carry the belt, means to fasten said sections individually to individual points on said belt between which the belt can flex yin passing around said belt-carrying means, and means to support the leaves, substantially out of the reach of the blade-stripping device, in passing over such of said belt-carrying means as are located between said stem-grasping means and the entrance end of the machine, to cause the leaves to be delivered .to said blade-stripping device at a point thereon where the sections thereof occupy substantially the same relative positions as they occupy when passing said means to grasp the stems.

14. In a stemming machine having means to grasp the stems, the combination of a plurality of sections of card clothing, a flexible belt to carry said plurality of card clothing sections, means to fasten the sections of said card clothing individually to individual Vpoints on said belt between which the belt can flex, said stem-grasping means being so related to said card clothing that saidstem-grasping means tends to draw the stems toward the bases of the wires of the card clothing, and a continuous belt of card clothing to retain the leaves inY the first mentioned card clothing.

15. In a stemming machine having means t0 grasp the stems, the combination. of a plurality of sections of card clothing, and a metallic chain belt to carry said plurality of card clothing sectionspast lsaid means to grasp the stems incooperating blade-'strippingrelation thereto, said card clothing sections being arranged successively on said'belt and beingfastened thereto.

16. The subject matter of claim 15 characterized by the fact that each of said sections is fastened to a single rigidelement of said chain.

y JOSEPH GOUGH. 

